Information Regarding Skin Tests for Allergies

When going in for a skin allergy test, one should plan to spend roughly an hour in the doctor’s offices for the duration of the appointment. For the skin prick test and the intradermal skin test, the placement of the allergens takes roughly between 5 and 10 minutes. You will then have to wait approximately 15 minutes to judge whether the skin has had a reaction. The Patch test takes longer, because of how long you have to wear it to assess whether or not your body has a delayed reaction to the allergen. During this test period, swimming and bathing is best to be avoided. After the allotted period of time, you must return to the doctor’s offices to get the area/s checked out.

In order to prepare for your skin test, ensure that you alert your doctor with regard to all the medicines you are currently taking, including any over-the-counter meds. Because all allergy medication including all antihistamines put a stop to allergic reactions, you should avoid taking these for a good few days before taking the test. Your doctor should also provide you with a list of medications to steer clear of before taking the test, as there are some other drugs that will influence the results.